


don't leave me now

by itbelynx



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Pining, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-23 22:17:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21088691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itbelynx/pseuds/itbelynx
Summary: caleb dies and the mighty nein gather round to perform a revivify spell.





	don't leave me now

**Author's Note:**

> this is how i cope with episode 81, by writing widofjord. and yes, those rolls are legit! i rolled them with actual dice myself.

This was all wrong. 

How could this have happened? How could they have been so careless as to let this happen? Why had he run off like that all alone? 

_ Why were you so stupid, Widogast? _

These were the thoughts that plagued Fjord’s mind as the team all huddled around the wizard. His dirty red hair was matted to his head and face, coated in blood and gore. A large gash tore open his chest. His lips were a deeper blue than his eyes, which were wide open still. 

“Jester! Can you help him? Please!” Nott was sobbing. She gripped the front of Caleb’s cloak. Fjord went to her side and held her back a little. 

“Give her room to work. She needs some space,” he said softly. The goblin let go and allowed herself to be held in Fjord’s arms for a moment. 

Jester and Cad went to opposite ends of the man, both calling forth their gods and invoking their aid in bringing him back. Jester held a diamond over Caleb’s chest, her Traveler symbol almost hitting Caleb in the nose from where she was seated behind his head. 

“I don’t have a strong enough pull, I need you guys to help me.”

“Whatever you need, Jessie, just tell us.”

“Either offer something that you think will tether Caleb’s soul here or say something that you think will bring him back,” Caduceus answered. 

“Okay,” Nott moved from Fjord’s lap and pulled some flowers from her hair and placed them on the now shattered diamond bits on Caleb’s chest. “Caleb.. I don’t know if you can here me. But I need you to come back to me, okay? You still have a promise to keep. You said you would help me turn back. I don’t know how to do it by myself. You’re super smart and I know you can figure it out, I just need you to come back to me. Take these flowers. They’re known for having good luck. They got Jester out of that fight with a dragon. And now, hopefully, they’ll help bring you back to us.”

Cad reached out and made the flowers sprout some fungus, obviously trying to use the Wildmother to help ground him. 

** _With advantage: rolled a nat20._ **

Beau scooted forward next. Her eyes were red and her face was damp with tears. Fjord half wondered if this was how she had looked when Molly died. 

“Now, you listen here asshole. You’re not allowed to die on us, okay? You may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but you’re als… you’re my brother. This whole group is the best family I’ve ever had, and you’re a part of that. I know…” She paused and looked around at everyone. “I know you lost your family. But we’re your new one, okay? We’re your second chance. You don’t need to bend reality to find happiness or change fate or whatever the fuck it is you’re trying to do. You can be happy with this family. So, you come back to us right now.” She punched his arm. 

** _With advantage: rolled a 13. _ **

“It’s getting stronger. I think we just need one more person to offer something,” Jester said. Tears and sweat were both visible on her face. 

“I’ll do it.” Fjord moved so he was right next to Caleb’s face. His eyes were closed now. Jester’s doing probably. He moved Caleb’s hair from his face and wiped a bit of the blood away. He looked so peaceful and beautiful. “Caleb.. You are teh smartest man I know. You have saved my life more times than I could even begin to count. Ever since we first met there’s been this… I don’t really know what to call it, but there’s been a connection between us. It got stronger as we grew to know each other. I’m not very good at letting people in, but when you rescued us from those slavers, I knew right then that you were a good person. I know you’ve struggled with that, and I hope that one day you’ll tell us why that is, but first you have to wake up, okay? And I hope that when you do wake up I can properly tell you…” He faltered, suddenly embarrassed as everyone was staring. “I’m not as good with words as you. My actions usually speak a little louder. So, hopefully you can hear this.”

Fjord leaned down and gently kissed Caleb’s lips. 

** _With advantage: rolled a 14. _ **

As he pulled away, the diamond pieces on the wizard’s chest glowed until they, along with the flowers and fungus, melted into his body. Jester was shaking so hard that Beau was holding her to try to help keep her steady as the spell finished. 

** _Final roll: 11. _ **

The glowing stopped. 

A beat passed. Another beat passed. Too many beats were passing. Something was wrong. Shouldn’t he be-?

Before Fjord could even think to finish that sentence, Caleb inhaled a deep breath. His eyes were still closed, but he was alive. This was when Fjord let his tears fall. He pulled back and held himself. 

Another soft glow from Cad’s hand filled the space as he pumped, what Fjord assumed was a healing spell, into the man’s chest. Caleb slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Everyone was crying and smiling at him. 

“Don’t cry, everyone,” he cracked a smile. 

“You died, asshole!” Beau exclaimed. 

“Ja, sorry about that. Are we safe, then?” 

“Yeah, we’re safe,” Cad said, leaning back. “Fjord here actually killed the thing that got you.” There was a weird smirk on the firbolg’s face. 

Caleb looked to Fjord, who could feel the warmth in his cheeks. “This is probably going to sound weird, but I was talking to Molly, and this weird fellow covered in feathers. But they told me stop and listen for a moment. And I heard you all talking. And I…” The wizard’s cheeks were now red. “Fjord…”

“Hey, listen. I know that it’s probably not-”

He was cut off suddenly as Caleb’s hands were on either side of his face and their lips pressed together. 

This kiss was different than the first. The first had been cold, clammy, and a bit went with blood. This one, however, was sweeter. It tasted of smoke and blood. It was weird but it was still nice. He was so happy that Caleb had kissed him back. He smiled as they parted.

“You talk too much.”


End file.
